Cooling system



ATTORNEYS Sept. 16, 1941.

c. E. MEYERHEFER COOLING SYSTEM Original Filed April 2, 1938 Patented sept. 16, 1941 2,256,322 COOLING SYSTEM Carl E. Meyerhoefer, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to E. A. Laboratories, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York original application April 2, 193s, serial No.

199,574. Divided and this application September 23, 1938, Serial No. 231,348

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved heat transfer unit and sysstem and while the same is capable of use in numerous different associations, it is primarily intended to be employed for the conditioning of air within an enclosure such as the body of a motor vehicle.

Whether employed in this or functionally equivalent installations, it is intended to fumlsh ample with heated water, secured from the cooling system of an internal combustion motorwhen it is desired to raise the dry bulb temperatureand functioning with one of any number of desirable refrigerants when it is intended to being associated with and accommodated within an automobile, the parts being individually simple and rugged in construction, and capable of assemblage by unskilled labor to furnish a unitary and economical system of this type.

According to certain ,further aspects, the present invention contemplates an improved or alternative structure to that described and shown Vin my previous United States Patent No. 2,118,-

263 of March 24, 1938, on Heat transfer appa-v ratus, it being also noted that the present application is a division of my application for Heat transfer unit and system filed in the United States APatent Oice on April 2, 1938, Serial No. 199,574.A

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheets of drawing illustrating practical embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view showing diagrammatically the motor of a vehicle and illustrating the system in association therewith; i

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the heat transfer unit and the connections extending therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 and in the direction of the arrows of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken along the lines 4 4 and in the direction of 'the arrows of Fig. 2.

Before continuing with a consideration of the structure heretofore briefly described, it is to be understood that while in many respects the present invention is primarily intended forl association with a motor vehicle, it might be employed in numerous other instances and wherever it is necessary or desired to effect heat exchange, and particularly the lowering of air temperatures. Thus, the present drawing and description are to be construed in an illustrative, and not in a limiting sense,'except where otherwise indicated in the appended claim.

Thus, referring primarily to Fig. 1, the numeral I0 indicates a motor provided with the usual cooling system from which tubes II and I2 l extend to the radiator I3. To the rear of the motor there is provided the conventional parti-v tion or dash I4 upon which is mounted a heat transfer unit generally indicated at I5, including air passages through which air is forced in heat.

exchange contact by means of a suitable motor driven irnpelling member I6.

` In the present application there has not been shown the conventional and well known connection between the unit I5 and the cooling system of the motor vehicle. One of several well known and accepted manners of achieving this result the present is a division. For the purpose of the present specification it will be sufficient to note that in this parent application'heat transfer units or evaporators are shown which include a core section presenting surfaces over which air may lpass in heat exchange relationship and which is provided at its opposite ends with heads. These heads may be coupled to the system generally by providing, for example, a passage in the lower end .of one head and the upper end of the opposite head, or by connecting the conduits merely to one head and dividing the latter into two sections by an interposed baffle.

It wil-l be seen that an outlet tube 29 is coupled to the upper end of the unit and an inlet tube 30 should be inhaled. A

is coupled to the lower end of the same. Extending between thesetubes is a body 3|, the interior construction ofA which yis probably best shown in Fig. 3. In this view it will be noted that a float 32 is positioned within the body and when the liquid level within the core assemblies is at proper height this float, by means of a link 33, serves -to `maintain valve 34 in closed position against its seat. This seat 35 is disposed below the plane of tube 30 which may form a part of, or be directly coupled to body 3|. 'In case a core has its inlet and outlet tubes connected merely to one head, tubes 29 and .3G-or the continuation thereof-will of course extend substantially in line with the body 3|. If, on the other. hand, the inlet and outlet openings are disposed in opposite corners of the different heads, a tube 36 will connect with the lower end of body 3| and couple the same to tube y3|), it being noted that this general form of construction has been shown in my prior patent granted on July 13, 1937, and numbered 2,087,160.

Extending from the upper end of body3 I is a tube or pipe 31 which is coupled to a suitable pump 38 driven by the `fan belt 39 of the motor, or by` any other suitable power source. let of the pump is connected to a condenser 40 which in turn discharges into a tank 4|, the latter conducting the condensatethrough a tube 42 coupled to the lower end of body 3|.

The condenser-tank assembly may be provided with a ller plug 43 through which the system may be charged with a refrigerantto the proper level. It willV also be noted that there extends from this assembly an air pipe 44 which connects with the return or inlet tube 30. This connection is preferably eected as shown in Fig. 4, by employing a packing assembly 45 through which lthe pipe 44 passes into the inlet tube of the core assembly and adjacent the lower end of the same. At this point it is preferred that the pipe terminate-1n an end portion having the characteristics of a nozzle 46, so that not alone istheair or vapor directed as desired, but also an expansion valve effect is achieved.

In operation the system is charged in any desiredmanner as aforeindicated, the plug 43 then seals the tank and as will be observed, the space above the-refrigerant contains air. 'I'he refrigerant may be oneof a number of commercially available substances. In certain respects, however, it is preferred to employ methylene chloride, commonly known as Carene, in that 'a material of this ltype is thon-caustic, noncorrosive, and fireproof, and also has the advantage that it is not injurious to human beings even if a leak should ldevelop With the pump 38 in operation, a vacuum of, for example, 15 to 20 inches will occur within tube 31. If methylene chloride is employed,; it will be found that at atmospheric pressure it boils at a temperature of substantially 104 F. With inches of vacuum it boils at a temperature of 85 F. If, however, air is permitted to flow through the body of liquid, it will be found that the boiling effect continues until a temperature of 58 F. is reached. Of course, when the and the vapors mospheric, the methylene chloride will condense objectionable if these liquid particles were drawn The outinto the pump. This is prevented, however, due to thel body 3| which in certain respects acts as a trap. In this connection tube 29 or its continuation opens into the body,3| at a lower level than the entrance-of tubev31 and at an angle to the axis of the latter tube. Consequently entrained paticles' of moisture will fall downwardly into the body 3| and serve to maintain the float 32 in raised position. Thus, valve 34 will remain closed. If, however, the level within this body drops below that which is proper, valve 34 will open and additional refrigerant will be free to flow from the condenser.

and receiver assembly through tube 41 into body 3| under the influence of the pressure existing within the condenser and receiver assembly, it being-understood that this pressure has assisted and accelerated the condensing of the refrigerant. 4

In this manner the level will at all times be properly maintained. Vapor will be discharged through pipe 44- and incident to the pressure which this vapor is under, the air will probably be surcharged with refrigerant. Incident to the expansion valve effect achieved by the nozzle 46 or otherwise,the air will, of course, expand upon entering the unit' I5 -and will be free to absorb additional heat from the refrigerant and thus accordingly lowerthe temperature within the unit.

It will be observed that the air or vapor discharged through nozzle 46 will rapidly rise `through the refrigerant within the heat transfer unit and by absorbing heat in so doing it will with.

of course cause a cooling of the whole body of refrigerant, the resultant vapors being drawn through -the outlet of the evaporator or unit and distribute it as aforedescribed. The fan or impeller I6, causing air to flow through the core will result in a major heat exchange being effected. APreferably the refrigerant should extend to `a point just below the outlet pipe oi' the unit although in certain' instances where it is desired to minimize noise, the liquid level may be sufliciently high to permit a certain quantity of the liquid to now through the outlet pipe.l

In that event it will be obvious that the liquid will simply flow to the iioat chamber and be.y

returned through the inlet pipe so that the operation of the system will not be interfered Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as vaforenoted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction, and rearrangement of the' parts, might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the in- -vention as defined by the claim.

Having described my invention, what Iv claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1s: A refrigeration system adapted for use in a motor vehicle including an evaporator to be positioned within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, motor-driven means .also positioned within said passenger compartment and behind said evaporator for circulating air through said evaporator, an auxiliary chamber coupled Ato said evaporator but positioned in the engine compartment of said vehicle for replenishing the refrigerant in said. evaporator, oat controlled valve means associated with said chamber for maintaining the refrigerant therein and in said' evaporator at substantially the same pre-determined levels, refrigerant for such system, a compressor pump for said refrigerant and positioned in said engine compartment and being adapted to be driven by the internal combus- .tion engine of said vehicle, a condenser for said system positioned ahead of the cooling radiator of said motor vehicle so as to vbe cooled by the ilow of air past the same incident to the motion of said motor vehicle as Well as to the action of the cooling fan of said internal vcombustion engine and means f or coupling said system tol gether for operation as' a sealed refrigerating system.

CARL E. MEYERHOEFER. 

